Emulating Parental Levels of Taking Conflict Personally: Associations with Behavioral and Mental Health Outcomes in Adult Children

Taking conflict personally (TCP) is a construct that measures individuals’ tendency to perceive conflict as a personal attack and focus less on the content of a conflict. This study examined parent–child transmissions of the six dimensions of TCP, as well as the relationship between adult child TCP and their conflict communication, depressive symptoms, and anxiety. Data were collected from 110 (N = 330) mother–father–child triads. The results showed significant links between father-child reports of persecuted feelings (i.e., belief that others intentionally provoke conflict) and stress reactions (i.e., psychological reaction) during conflict. There were also significant links between mother–child reports of positive and negative relational effect (i.e., belief that conflict benefits/damages relationships). Adult children’s reports of four of the six TCP dimensions were associated with their depressive symptoms and anxiety, and the results showed significant indirect effects from parent TCP to adult child verbal aggression, constructive conflict, depressive symptoms, and anxiety.     

The next trans-atlantic frontier: examining the Impact of Language Choice on Support for Transgender Policies in the United Kingdom and the United States

As American and British gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals have made major wins for “pinnacle rights,” such as same-sex marriage, attention has increasingly moved to a previously overshadowed part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community: transgender (trans) people. Alongside more visibility in popular culture, trans people have been the subject of policy debates and proposals in both countries, seeking to both restrict and expand their rights. In this article we examine the extent to which language choice affects public support for policies pertaining to trans people in the United States and United Kingdom. We draw upon two survey experiments conducted in the United States and United Kingdom in July 2016 and find that, in general, different ways of referring to the trans population do not affect policy opinions. This study has implications for both understandings of the effectiveness of framing in increasingly media savvy environments and for the future of trans-related policies in the United States and United Kingdom.     

Are Divorce Studies Trustworthy? The Effects of Survey Nonresponse and Response Errors

Researchers rely on relationship data to measure the multifaceted nature of families. This article speaks to relationship data quality by examining the ramifications of different types of error on divorce estimates, models predicting divorce behavior, and models employing divorce as a predictor. Comparing matched survey and divorce certificate information from the 1995 Life Events and Satisfaction Study (N = 1,811) showed that nonresponse error is responsible for the majority of the error in divorce data. Misreporting the divorce event was rare, and more than two thirds of respondents provided a divorce date within 6 months of the actual date. Nevertheless, divorce date error attenuated effects of time since divorce on outcomes. Gender, child custody, marital history, and education were associated with divorce error.     

Business adoption of information and communications technologies in the two-tier rural economy: some evidence from the South Midlands

This paper explores the reasons why rural firms choose to adopt and use information and communications technologies. Evidence for rural restructuring and its implications for conceptualising the rural economy, is reviewed. Information on firms is obtained by means of a questionnaire survey and intensive in-depth interviews. Pronounced variations in adoption are identified. They are explained by the pressures exerted by customers and suppliers and the ways these are responded to by managers. The concept of a two-tier rural economy, based upon levels of adoption, is introduced. The need to focus upon global–local rather than urban–rural differences is emphasised. Implications for those who advise and seek to help rural businesses are considered.     

Towards an Integrated Approach to a Family Intervention for Co‐occurring Substance Abuse and Schizophrenia

Comorbid substance abuse and schizophrenia is a major cause for concern from clinical, economic and health care systems perspectives. Existing treatment strategies are frequently inadequate, partly due to a lack of research into the unique problems facing this dually diagnosed population. These individuals commonly place a disproportionate burden on the mental health delivery system. In addition, their families are left with the onerous task of caring for them. This paper reviews the literature on family interventions for both substance abuse and schizophrenia and postulates that a composite model of family therapy might be appropriate.     

Is Local Office a Springboard for Women to Dáil Éireann?

Previous research has found the single transferable vote electoral system is relatively friendly to women candidates. Despite this, female representation in the Irish Parliament remains substantially lower than in most other democracies. Drawing on pipeline theory and localism, we assess the impact of local officeholding on the success of male and female major party candidates in the 2007 and 2011 Irish general elections. We find previous experience in local office is a key springboard to higher office for men and women, and when women serve in local government, the likelihood of election increases significantly.     

A Needs and Readiness Assessment of the United States Refugee Resettlement Program: Focus on Syrian Asylum‐Seekers and Refugees

People fleeing from violence and persecution around the world view the United States (US) as a safe haven. But recent socio political instability and growing anti‐refugee sentiment, in light of an unprecedented global humanitarian crisis, challenge this longstanding view. To better understand the current socio political climate, this study evaluated the US Refugee Resettlement Program (USRP) by focusing on Syrian asylum‐seekers and refugees. Participants consisted of 71 resettlement organization leaders (e.g., chief operating officer and director of refugee services) who, between 2013 and 2016, collectively resettled 76 per cent of all refugees and 44 per cent of Syrians to the US. Reasons for current challenges are explored while strengths are emphasized and future directions offered, along with relevant policy and clinical implications.     

Evaluation and Evaluative Rigor in the Nonprofit Sector

Nonprofit organizations are under more pressure than ever to provide “rigorous” evidence of program impact. However, as expectations for rigorous evidence rise, many nonprofits struggle with challenges that inhibit evaluation. Recognizing these trends and tensions, this study identifies catalysts and obstacles to evaluation activity and the correlates of evaluative rigor among US nonprofits based on a national survey of registered public charities (n = 311). Results reveal that the most important catalysts to evaluation include the desire to improve program effectiveness and legitimacy, while the most important obstacles include insufficient time and money. Moreover, regression analysis finds that evaluation appears to be most rigorous when (1) evaluation is a priority, (2) a supportive organizational culture exists, (3) management requires evaluation, (4) evaluation is not primarily motivated by personal interest, and (5) evaluation is likely to reveal success. Overall, intrinsically motivated evaluation appears to be more rigorous than externally mandated evaluation, suggesting that stakeholders should work to help capacitate receptive nonprofits to improve evaluative rigor instead of imposing external requirements.